The Child Protection Network (CPN) is a Network of Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) and Government Agencies working together to prevent and respond to matters relating to Children which includes their welfare and protection from all forms of abuse.
Over the years the statistics on Child trafficking has been high. Children are the easiest target for child traffickers because they are helpless and unable to defend themselves against exploitation, possessing less ability to understand and differentiate between right and wrong.
Recently a Non-Governmental Organizations in Lagos State Nigeria under the Child Protection Network, gathered Children in Ojudu area of Lagos to sensitize them on the right of every child in the society.
The NGO which was established by the United Nations (UNICEF) and the Nigerian Government have branches in all the thirty-six(36) states of Nigeria and all of the 20 Local Government Areas of Lagos state.
Their vision, is to have a state where all children are protected against all forms of abuse and exploitation as enshrined in the State Legai documents.
Speaking to Journalists at Oke-Ira Community area of Ojodu in Lagos state, the Vice Co-ordinator (CPN Ikeja LG), Mrs. Ololade Hector-Fowobaje said, ” Lagos state is the most child friendly state when it comes to child protection.
She went on to State that since the child right law has been enacted, Child protection has been mandated for us all to follow.
She added that all schools in Lagos State have been mandated to work at enforcing this law.
Mrs Ololade Hector went on to inform that Lagos State has always thrown its weight behind any form of abuse with ‘Child Abuse’ taking pre-eminence.
Speaking also at the awareness session, ‘Denny Social Welfare Hub'(DSWHUB) Mrs. Abosede Mary-Otukpe said, “with the Office of Public Defender the NGOs have been able to rehabilitate Children from streets, free then from Correctional Centres, and Prisons
alike, courtesy the Lagos State Ministry of Justice.
Mrs Mary -Otukpe pointed that NGOs have different areas of stress despite the fact that their targets to rescue Children and Youths remain the same.
However stressing the fact that CSOs still need to do more in assisting Government to achieve their goals”.
Other stakeholders however, advised
Parents to take responsibility for their children and stop entrusting them in the hands of other people while urging the Government to do more in protecting the rights of every child.
Mrs. Ibidunni Adeola Atinuke from
another NGO known as ‘Raising Champions Children’, while speaking, also stated some of the hurdles they face in Child rescue.
She said, “The challenges we face is the rescue aspect of it, we need more facilities within the Local Government”.
Mrs. Adeola called on the Local Government to get more involved in the Child rescue process”.
The Stakeholders all agreed that with the increasing numbers cases of Child Labour and other inhumane treatments against children, activities like these are crucial to brainstorm on how such hostility against Children could be addressed with a view to total eradication.